THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it will endorse the North Luzon Airport Consortium’s (NLAC) bid to take over the operations and management of Clark International Airport to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) next week.
“Meron nang nanalo doon eh. Isu-submit na namin sa Wednesday. Yung grupo ng Changi airport… Isu-submit sa NEDA [A group already won the bidding. We’ll submit it on Wednesday. It’s the group of Changi airport. We’ll submit to NEDA],” Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade told reporters on Friday when asked for updates on the Clark Airport O&M bidding.
NLAC is comprised of Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corp., Gokongwei’s JG Summit Holdings, Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions, Inc. and Changi Airport Philippines.
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) qualified two bid submissions on Nov. 9 for the 25-year concession period to operate the airport.
Aside from NLAC, the X-Droid Consortium, formed by Indonesia’s Angkasa Pura II, Michael L. Romero’s Globalport 900, Inc., Alfredo M. Yao’s Mazy’s Capital, Inc. and Desco, Inc. submitted a bid.
In the opening of technical documents on Nov. 19 and of financial documents on Nov. 27, both live streamed on the Facebook page of BCDA, only NLAC’s submissions were opened. Its financial bid promised an 18.25% percentage share of gross revenue to the government, above the minimum requirement which is 10%.
X-Droid’s submissions were not opened, without providing explanations why. A BCDA representative told BusinessWorld on Friday it cannot issue a statement on the developments of the bidding until the whole process is complete.
Based on Sections 9.1 and 9.3 of the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, a bidder is subjected to direct negotiation with the NEDA Investment Coordination Committee if it is the only participant left compliant to bid requirements.
Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) Chairperson Joshua M. Bingcang said last month the awarding of the O&M contract is targeted this December. — Denise A. Valdez
